Traffic stop leads to two drug arrests

Two women were arrested Friday night in Marathon after a traffic stop on their vehicle which had a tag light out.

Detective Nick Whiteman was on patrol at 9 p.m. when he spotted the beige colored Nissan four door passenger car with a tag light out. He pulled it over at 33rd Street in Marathon.

When the detective approached the driver’s side of the vehicle, he could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside. He asked the driver, 26 year old Sierra Williams of Miami for permission to search the car and she agreed. There were two female passengers in the car as well.

Deputies Spenser Bryan and Anthony O’Dea, along with Sgt. Ken Fricke, responded as back up. Under the driver’s seat, the detective found hundreds of small purple colored ziplock bags. Hidden behind a side panel on the front passenger side, he found a large amount of marijuana in 95 separate plastic bags, packaged as if for sale.

Passenger Brandi Harley, 26, of Key West told Detective Whiteman the marijuana was hers. She was arrested. Driver Williams had a prescription bottle not in her name with Oxycodone inside. She was also arrested. The third person in the vehicle was released.

The marijuana weighed a total of 142 grams. Harley was charged with possessing a felony amount of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. Williams was charged with possession of a controlled substance. Both women were booked into jail.